AJ entered the long white trailer, eyes spotting at the wall-to-wall brightness. She squinted down a long row of vanities, several with hair and makeup technicians spinning idly at their stations.
The only other cast member inside so far was Noah Drew.
Of fucking course.
He was seated in the chair farthest from the door. A goth technician named Chessie was silently adding texture to his hair. She looked up and smiled at AJ, her teeth shockingly white. “Hi!”
“Hey,” said AJ, blood rushing to her face. Less than three minutes or not, yesterday’s exchange with Noah had kept her up half the night trying to rationalize why he’d engaged with her on camera, and why she had reacted to him so strongly when she knew it meant nothing.
Now she remembered. He was fucking beautiful.
Noah’s gaze lifted to hers in the mirror. He looked tired, but not as tired as he should, considering he was already in full wardrobe, including his intricate whorled facial tattoo—he’d probably been up since four. AJ, meanwhile, looked like the love child of Barney and a dementor. As if reading her thoughts, Noah’s eyes flicked over her purple hood. “Hey,” he said, amused.
What adick.
A beautiful dick, but a dick. AJ forced her face into a joyless smile, then seated herself at the station closest to the door, that of a plump technician named Jolie.
“Look at that gorgeous HAIR!” Jolie exclaimed, unfurling AJ’s messy bun. “I know just what to do withyou.”
“Nothing we can’t…undo, right?” said AJ, her blush deepening. She glanced up to find Noah watching in the mirror. He averted his gaze as Jolie loosed a maniacal laugh.
She orbited AJ’s head, a satellite straightening, curling, and spraying. AJ attempted to focus on aNational Enquirerstory about Britney Spears’s February meltdown, but her eyes kept glazing.
You don’t need to be afraid.
How fucking dare he?
When Ian had sent her to bring “Rho” food the day before, AJ had been prepared for Noah to ignore her or even yell—that would have at least been consistent with the character. But the way he came at her so…gently, had blindsided her. It was almost like he wasn’t in character at all.
I wonder, what is it you think you’ll see?
She’d had to fight herself from the first word he’d spoken; their training was so deeply ingrained, every syllable a trigger to let him in. The way he’d looked at her…so expectant, like they were still partners.
He’d surprised her at UCB, but this time, AJ had been able to use her anger as a shield. She hadn’t managed to block him out entirely, though. The truth was, part of her didn’t want to. Part of her wanted to know if UCB really had been a fluke, or if they—ifshe—could still play.
“What a mess,” said Jolie, nodding at Britney as she yanked AJ’s follicles with a rolling brush.
She had just begun AJ’s makeup when the trailer door cracked open and Elmore Aldrich entered, reeking of weed. He removed his tinted aviators and flopped down beside AJ, who felt a small thrill. Elmore had played the cabin boy onAstronauticals,summoned from retirement to help the prequel gain traction with the original base.
“Va-va-voom,” he said, looking at her now-tousled waves. “Why, if you weren’t playing my granddaughter…”
He winked at her suggestively, and AJ laughed because he’d once been onAstronauticalsand because she had to. Noah’s expression darkened.
“Look up,” said Jolie.
AJ stared skyward so Jolie could apply mascara. When her eyes returned to the mirror, Noah was making his way toward the exit.
“You’re looking rakish,” Elmore addressed him.
“Thanks,” said Noah in a clipped voice.
“What I wouldn’t give to be twenty-nine again,” said Elmore. “You kids don’t even know—you think you’ll be young and fit forever. I mean this from the bottom of my heart: don’t get old.”
At this remark, Noah paused, the muscle in his jaw working. He was standing between Elmore and AJ, and she could both feel him over her left shoulder and see his face in the mirror.
“I won’t,” he said sardonically.
Jolie finished AJ’s lip tint and stood back. “What do you think?”
